Matters of the Heart
by Viral
Summary: An introspective look at Rogue's heart and the many people she has learned to call her friends, enemies, and family.
1. Scott and Kurt

**Title:** Matters of the Heart   
**Author:** Viral   
**Author's Notes: **I've never done a Rogue-centric fan fiction before, but I suppose there is a first time for everything. I hope this story satisfies those X-Men: Evolution fans out there. 

-=-=-=-

This day was to be another cliché of yesterday and the day before. Rogue knew that from the moment she woke up from her regularly scheduled nightmare that had something to do with the memories of someone she had touched. It didn't matter how long ago she had touched the person or how long she had touched them. It was simply this: their mind was stuck in her mind and there was nothing she could do about it. Last night had been one of the worst so far. She had been dreaming one of Mystique's past experiences right around the time when she had given birth to Kurt… but no, she wouldn't think about that anymore.

She walked out of her room, dressed in her signature green clothing and her thick gloves. She felt so enclosed and trapped, especially when she walked around the others dressed in their halter-tops and miniskirts, not worried about who they touched – or for that matter, who touched them. They didn't have to be careful about how they embraced people. Heck, if she could turn off her powers for just one minute she would probably run around in a bathing suit – just glad to be free for once.

"Top of the morning," Scott said, coming down the hall shirtless. Rogue's eyes slowly looked up from his bare feet, to his gray sweatpants, to his shirtless chest and then to his smiling lips.

"Mornin Scott," she answered in her rich Southern accent as he continued to walk towards her. She closed the door behind her and thanked God – whomever that was, for such a nice start for her Saturday morning. She enjoyed Scott, but not just for his flawless body or his charming smile. The attraction she had for Mr. Summers was much deeper. He was trustworthy, caring, and strong-minded. He was a man with a purpose to live. His personality consisted of everything that Rogue considered to be perfect.

When he finally approached her they began walking together down the hallway towards the main staircase that led to the foyer of the Xavier's Institute for Gifted Youngsters. Or, in the words of Principal Kelly, "A school for freaks."

"What do you plan on doing today?" he asked. Things had been pretty non-eventful since the X-Men had managed to escape Apocalypse's wrath. Now that Scott and Jean had graduated high school and had been accepted to college, Westchester Business Institute and Wells University, respectively they had been given responsibilities as trainers for the younger mutants. That meant, Rogue saw less of Scott and would see even less of him. The good part was, she'd see much less of Jean.

"Ah really didn't have anything in mind," she said, some loose hair behind her right ear. "What about you?"

"I thought it would be cool if we hung out today, maybe go bowling or something," he said, as they began walking down the steps to the foyer. "Want to come?"

"Sure," she smiled. "It's about time Ah got some fresh air. Ah was startin to get cabin fever."

"Jean was telling me the same thing. All we've been doing is training and sleeping," Scott said. He just had to mention the "J" word didn't he? He knew that word was forbidden around Rogue.

"Hey guys," Jean said, waving them down the stairs.

"And speak of the devil," Rogue mumbled.

"Did you say something Rogue?" Scott asked from behind his shades.

"No," Rogue sighed.

Scott and Jean greeted each other with a kiss, which caused Rogue to look a way with disgust. "Hey, you two, Come eat I just finished making pancakes and breakfast sausages."

"Actually, Ah don't got much of an appetite," Rogue sighed and walked out of the front door of the mansion.

Weren't opposites supposed to attract? Jean and Scott were just too much alike to be perfect for each other. At least that was Rogue's reasoning and her last chance of hope for getting at him. They were both the epitome of their sex. Jean was the skinny, attractive cheerleader and high academic achiever. Scott was the charming, stable male with a sure future. Rogue was the south to Scott's north end of the magnet. She was everything but what Jean was: antisocial, bitter, cold, devious, eerie – she could go through the whole alphabet and find a negative word to describe herself.

"I take it you don't like my tulips very much," came a voice that frightened Rogue to wake up from her daydream. She looked down at her boot-clad feet and noticed that one of them had been grinding a yellow tulip into the concrete pathway that led around the mansion in a maze-like path.

Rogue turned around to face Ororo Munroe, the white-haired weather witch. Ororo was dressed in her gardening attire: a pair of overalls, a white shirt, and construction boots. Her long white hair was tied in a ponytail and her gloved hand she was holding a garden garbage bag. "Ah'm sorry," she said. "Ah didn't even notice Ah was doin it. Ah guess my mind is just too far gone on other things."

"Anything you would like to talk about?" Ororo asked, picking up the tattered flower and discarding it in the bag. She when went about fixing up the hole in the ground where the tulip's root had been pulled from.

"Nothing personal against you, Ororo, but we ain't exactly best friends to be tradin secrets," Rogue said, and started to continue walking down the path.

"But then again, Rogue, you don't have much of a relationship with anyone. Sometimes I look at you and nearly cry because you are so much like me when I first came back to America. I was born in New York but when my dad received a journalism job in Cairo, Egypt to cover a war that was taking place over in that region, my mother and I went with him. It was there that my parents died as a result of a plane crashing into our apartment and they died before my very eyes. I was trapped for days under rubble with nothing but the view and stench of my dead parents to keep me company," Ororo said, looking at the flowers. A light drizzle began to fall from the cloudless sky, representing the tears that Ororo refused to cry from her eyes. "You see Rogue, you are not the only one with a past that you'd like to keep a secret. But the more you concentrate on your problems and your contempt for the world around you – the more you will fail to see the beauty that lies within you and the beautiful flower that you are. The same way you just unknowingly crushed that tulip beneath your foot is the same way you are stomping on your own life. But you don't have to do that."

The drizzling stopped and Rogue looked at Ororo who was standing up and walking towards her. "Ah didn't know… Ah should've known after having your memories all this time. It's just hard to believe. You're so beautiful and so full of life. The things you hold dear are the things Ah look at with contempt. How did you ever overcome that tragic of a past?"

"I never have and never will overcome my parents death or the claustrophobia that the whole incident gave to me. However, I live with it. That's what women do – strong women. We take all the mess life throws at us and we give birth to something beautiful. Coal must be pressed before it becomes diamonds, and gold must be tested before it is accounted as pure." Ororo held out her closed hand to me and Rogue opened hers. She had seen Ororo pull something out of the hole before covering it up while she had been sitting on the ground. She didn't know what it was until it was dropped in her hand. "If you ever need to get away from it all…" were the last words she heard before everything around her was muted. She just looked down at the key. She didn't even notice when Ororo walked away and began doing some more cosmetics on her flowers.

The only thing that was floating in her head was, "Why?"

-=-=-

"Mein Gott," Kurt said with his head bowed in the quiet dining hall. "Ve ask that you vould bless zhis bounty in zhe name of zhe Father, and of zhe Son, and of zhe Holy Spirit: Amen."

"Amen," the majority of the students and teacher at the table replied before the noisy passing of food trays began. Conversations ensued, some about boys, others about plans for the rest of the night. As usual, Rogue was sitting next to Kitty Pryde: the intellectual valley girl who would be perfect befriending material if she didn't talk as often – or at all. "Kurt, like hurry up with the spaghetti!" she said with frustration as Kurt carefully put spaghetti on his plate. "And don't get any fur in it." Kurt grinned and began moving even slower than he had been before. This resulted in a growl from Logan.

"Look, _Nightbug_, I told you about playin at the dinner table before," he said with a grimace.

"Party pooper," Kurt said, continuing to smile as he passed the dish to Kitty.

"Like I was saying," Kitty said, directing her words to Rogue who was lazily munching on a warm biscuit. "So after Lance told me that he would be at the football game and it would be a totally awesome _coincidence _if I was there too I like totally knew he wanted to ask me on a date. So…"

Rogue began to tune out the sound of Kitty's voice, however managing to nod and smile at the right times of the entire monologue. At that moment her mind was fixated on one thing. _Why would Scott ask me to go with him to the bowlin alley if he is still gonna be flirtin with Jean. Ah mean, he's starting to confuse me. It's like the only reason we can't get close is because we confuse each other. But silence sometimes speaks louder than words, right? Maybe Ah should just tell him. But what if he rejects me? Then Ah'd never be able to look at him the same way. And Ah don't want to feel different about him – not in a negative way at least. It's just that, we should be able to understand each other. We both have somethin we have to hide behind to keep the people around us safe. He got his shades and Ah got my gloves. If we can understand each other on that level what's keepin us from bein able to open up? _Rogue's eyes darted over to Jean. _It seem like every time the devil's mentioned, Ms. Perfect shows up. I just wish she would die… but she'd probably come back to life anyway. It's like she was born to be my arch nemesis. Why didn't Ah just let her die when her powers was goin crazy? _Rogue contemplated the question for awhile and sighed when she finally came up with the answer. _Maybe Ah don't hate her for being Jean Grey. Maybe Ah hate her for being the girl that Scott loves._

She awakened from her mental reflections when she felt a hand on her shoulder, "Rogue, I'm going to get ready. I'll meet you in the foyer in ten minutes."

She looked up at Scott and nodded. Finally, in ten minutes she could have some time alone with Scott and actually talk about how she felt.

-=-=-

Indeed, in ten minutes the ever-punctual Scott Summers was standing in the foyer waiting for Rogue. However, when she came down the stairs she had to keep herself from yelling. She just wanted to let out the mixture of emotions she was feeling: anger, confusion, love, hate, and anxiety. Once again she had assumed that she was going to have some "me and you time" with Scott but he was holding Jean's hand and they had six students with them, ready to bowl.

"Rogue, are you ready?" Jean asked, smiling wildly as she ran her free hand through her long red hair.

"Ah changed my mind," Rogue frowned. "Sorry for keepin y'all watin all this time."

-=-=-

It was, once again, ten minutes later when Rogue entered the War Room down on the sublevels of the Xavier's Institute. The Professor had called all the remaining students and teachers down stairs to brief everyone on recent developments. Rogue habitually sat down next to Kitty.

"We have a few unexpected things going on," the Professor said. "In Washington D.C. a riot has been started by a large number of anti-mutant protestors. The event turned hostile only a few minutes ago with looters and people burning down stores in an attempt to get the attention of Congress. They have been hunting down known mutants in the city and have already found a few. We must stop the riot before anything really serious occurs. Those mutants who are in danger include Mystique."

"Ah'm not goin," Rogue said softly but with much acrimony.

"Rogue!" Kurt squealed. "Zhis isn't about Mystique right now."

"Ah don't care Kurt! Ah don't want anything to do with her! Ah don't want to be near her. She destroyed my life more than once and she keeps showin up to do more damage. Every time Ah come in contact with her the woman tries to use me and always has a plan on how she's gonna do it!"

"But --,"

"Are you listenin to a word Ah'm sayin?" Rogue yelled at Kurt, standing up from the round, metal table. She forcefully placed her hands down on the table and looked Kurt in the eye. "If Ah ever see the woman again Ah'll kill her on the spot. _You_ really don't want me to go."

-=-=-

Rogue watched from the main balcony on the second floor as the X-Men's jet flew from within the hangar and headed south. So, when she heard the glass door to the large balcony open she turned around quickly to see who was there. "Ah thought you would've went with the rest of them," she said and turned back towards the view of the semi-circle driveway that lead to the front entrance of the mansion.

"Ororo decided to stay, too," Kurt said, walking over to the railing that went around the entire balcony. He sat on it and let his legs dangle over the side.

"So why did you stay? Ah hope its not to tell me how wrong Ah am," she responded, hoping that her hostility would drive him away. It seemed to work against every other person she interacted with except Kurt. He just seemed to take it, absorb it, and turn it into compassion.

"I would never try to make you feel guilty for your emotions," Kurt answered. "But I don't want you to feel like you have to be alone all the time." He turned around to face her, placing his feet on the balcony floor. "I said it before, 'We're in zhis together, sis'."

"And Ah've said this before, 'We're not related'. Remember? Mystique adopted me. She didn't give birth to me – and Ah'm glad she didn't. She would've gotten rid of me just like she got rid of you. She left you alone in a world where she knew people would hate you and try to kill you because you looked different! Yet you still love her. How?" Rogue asked, with tears building up in her eyes. They soon overcrowded her tear ducts and make up began running down her face.

"Because God loves me and has forgiven me, I am able to do the same to Mystique," Kurt responded, looking down at the cross dangling from his neck. He had been slightly religious before, but over the summer after the run-in with Apocalypse he had become a devout Catholic. This made things even harder for Rogue to digest.

"How can you love a God that makes you feel guilty for ever little thing you do wrong and then forces you to do everything he says in order for you to make it right? How can you sacrifice your whole life to a higher power that didn't care enough to give you a mother who would love you?!" She felt herself becoming emotionally weak and her voice softened as tears freely fell down her face, "Answer me Kurt. How can you?"

He just walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tightly as tears fell down his furry face. Rogue buried her face in his chest as she relived Mystique's memories. She could see the blue woman trying to get rid of her son when he was first born. He had ruined her chances at leading a normal life under the guise of a normal woman with her rich husband. He was blue, hairy, and ugly. Her reputation was ruined and the nice comfortable life that she had faked her way into had been destroyed.

Knowing all of this she felt her heart become heavy, wondering what could possibly be bewitching Kurt so bad that he refused to give up hope on such a heartless creature. Mystique wasn't worthy of such affection. She was an abuser. She took advantage of the weak-minded and used their strengths to her advantage. Her only goal was to survive. She was an animal by nature – with no conscious and no soul. Vicious dogs don't get love. They get impounded and killed. That's exactly how Rogue felt about Mystique.

She continued to weep noisly in Kurt's chest. Ororo turned away from the balcony with closed eyes before walking away from the scene. Gray clouds began forming overhead.


	2. Kitty and Charles

**Title: **Matters of the Heart

**Author: **Viral

**Author's Notes:** Thank you all for your reviews so far. They are an encouragement. :) If you love Rogue/Remy stuff you will be getting _some_ – but I'm not sure how much as of yet.

-=-=-=- _The next night…_-=-=-=-

July the 4th was approaching, another glorious day for the United States of America and another long, unwanted cookout for the Goth girl of the X-Men. She walked around the mall on the laidback Thursday night with the rest of the women who lived at the mansion. While they window shopped at high fashion stores, scouted the men's underwear section for the random sexy male looking at a pair of boxer briefs, and sat down to eat at the food court, Rogue wandered off by herself to the music store.

She picked up a Korn CD, one that she already owned but was just interested in looking at the cover of one of her favorite artists. She loved the cryptic artwork on the front cover: a blonde-haired girl playing hopscotch, about to jump over into an abyss, which attempted to paint a picture of hell as described in the Bible. The album title, "Follow the Leader", made the message even clearer. Of course as older, _distinguished_ people walked by her and caught a glimpse of the CD cover they did their best to steer clear of her. The first thing people assumed when they saw her was that she was crazy – one of the type of people willing to blow up a school or cast a spell on anyone who looked at her the wrong way. She liked it like that. The farther away people stayed from her, the better off everyone would be.

"Rogue!" Kitty squealed which caused Rogue to put the CD back in its place with frustration and slowly begin walking down the aisle.

"Do you have to be so loud?" Rogue asked with annoyance ever-present in her voice.

"Yes! I totally just found the CD I've been looking for! I can't believe it took me so long to, like, find it!"

Rogue took a glimpse at the case in Kitty's hand and scoffed, "Mariah Carey? I thought you were into Country?"

"I am, but Mariah's like the total diva!"

"If you say so," Rogue replied, her eyebrows up with a playful look on her face. "Next thing you know you'll be listenin to Jay-Z and Usher."

"I'd listen to Usher just cause he's so totally hot!" Kitty said, a gleeful look on her face.

Rogue stared at her for a second and her mood lightened up, "So would I!" The two girls laughed their way through the music store. This was the one place Kitty and Rogue realized they could bond. This is why she felt so comfortable sitting next to Kitty at the dinner table and in the War Room. She had learned a lot about "Katherine Pryde: The Geeky Vallery Girl" and learned to accept her for who she was.

Kitty had become, in a weird sort of way, Rogue's anesthesia. In the bleakest of times all it would take was one big smile and silly remark from this girl to lighten Rogue's perspective. Even if she didn't laugh or smile on the outside – sometimes she'd even shout at Kitty to shut up – on the inside she was grateful to have someone like Kitty around.

"Guess who I hear is coming by for July 4th," Kitty said, as she put down a Beyoncè CD and looked over to Rogue who was studying a passing guy.

"Ah don't know," Rogue replied. "And Ah probably won't care."

"Oh, I think you'll care," Kitty teased, a devious smirk on her face. "He's tall, dark, and handsome and if you touch him the wrong way, you'll be lucky not to have any splinters."

"Evan's coming!?" Rogue shouted and then quickly concealed her pleasure. It was too late, though. Kitty had caught the happiness in Rogue's eyes.

"Yep," Kitty said. "And from what I hear, the blonde-dye isn't in his hair anymore, he has his hair cut normal, and his muscles make you want to bite him!"

"So, what do Ah care for?" Rogue responded, nonchalantly while continuing to walk down the aisle, trying her best to conceal the feelings she had for Evan. _Just don't think about him_, Rogue told herself, _And it will all go away. Don't think about Evan. Don't think about his full lips and his hard pecs. Rogue! Look at yourself. Can't even pick one man! You got Scott, Evan, and Remy on the brain!_

"I think you still have the hots for him," Kitty said in a singsong voice, smiling deviously as she turned Rogue around to face her.

"Ah don't have the _hots_ for him," Rogue whispered. "And Ah told you to never bring that up! Ah told you that in confidence."

"If you say so Rogue," she smiled.

"Don't get me started, Piotr!" Rogue warned, referring to Colossus, and Kitty silenced. Rogue smiled in victory.

-=-=-=- _Later that night…_-=-=-=-

Rogue tiptoed around the mansion in her bare feet. A key was dangling from a thick black shoestring. It was the same key Ororo had given her and curiosity had finally made her get out of bed and search for whatever door it was supposed to open. She walked through the girl's dormitory on the second floor, trying the key on all the unused rooms that she knew about. The key did not fit in any of them. She frowned and walked down the main hall towards the boy's dormitory.

Her hands began to get jittery as she crossed the unseen boundary that was called "Man World". After curfew she was not supposed to be over there, but better to do her search when no one was watching then when the nosey people would begin to ask questions that she couldn't answer. It was too late for that. Insert: nosey adult. Logan walked out of his room, wiping crust from his tired eyes as he focused his attention on Rogue who was at a stand still.

"What are you doin over here?" he asked, grumpily, standing in his black muscle shirt and a pair of shorts.

"Ah," Rogue began but didn't know what to say. "Ah was—Ah mean, Ah am---," she stammered. Logan's presence demanded fear and answers. It's always hard to give answers when you're scared. Maybe that's why Logan got in so many fights.

"I asked you a question," Logan frowned.

"Do you really expect her to answer it or are you just asking because it seems like the proper thing to do in this situation?" asked Ororo's voice. Rogue turned around to see Ororo standing in the middle of the hallway, obviously trying her best to avoid the shadows. Claustrophobia. Rogue was kind of relieved, but also suspicious at the same time. Had Ororo been following her the entire time?

"It's a little late to be playin mind games, Ro," Logan said.

Ororo gave a subtle glance to Rogue, and Rogue immediately got the message. She began to walk down the hall, away from the two adults, back towards the girl's dormitory. It would be mighty hard to search through the boy's dorm with Logan's super-sensitive hearing.

"Well now that you are woke," Ororo smiled, "We have a few things to discuss."

"A few things like what?" Logan asked, grumpily, a growl in his throat but pleasure in his face.

A glass of iced water and five minutes late, Ororo and Logan sat outside in a garden swing with the solar-powered lights in the ground being their only source of light.

"Charles wants the two of us to select a small group of students to take on a trip to Europe," Ororo said. "The anti-mutant prejudice is a bit more suppressed overseas and things are becoming more upsetting in Washington."

"And this couldn't wait til the mornin?" Logan growled. He placed an arm around Ororo's torso and she turned her body to lie in his arms, her head on his shoulders.

"I am worried – no, that is not the right word – I am _concerned_ for Rogue," Ororo sighed.

Logan and Ororo sat in silence, accompanied by the occasional gentle breeze that rustled the leaves of the tree that hung above their heads. There was nothing else to say.

-=-=-=- _The next morning…_-=-=-=-

"Good morning, Rogue," Professor Xavier said, sitting in his familiar position behind the large, mahogany desk of his office. He watched as Rogue walked into the office, sadness apparent on her face. She slumped down into the leather seat in front of his desk and looked around at the room. It always seemed to remain unchanged every time she came in: the white walls, the flawless bookcases filled with thick books, the screen saver of a floating ball on the Professor's computer screen, and the large picture window behind Xavier's head covered with vertical blinds.

"Morning, Professor," she answered and sighed.

"How have things been going since our last session?" he asked, his hands folded on top of his desk.

"Ah tried to kill myself three times," Rogue said sarcastically. "And, Ah had a dream that Ah planted explosives in everybody's rooms and blew up the mansion."

"Rogue, that's not funny," Xavier frowned. "I'm trying to help you but you keep pushing me away. Why?"

"It's not the easiest thing in the world to come in here every week and pour out my soul," Rogue frowned. "Sometimes Ah need to get through these things myself. My secrets, what goes in my mind, should be… something I work through for myself."

The Professor frowned and studied Rogue's face. He picked up a pen and wrote something on a piece of paper. He then studied the paper and turned it around so Rogue could see it. She moved towards his desk by scooting to the edge of the chair and looked at the word. Dependent. "What does this word mean to you?"

She thought for a moment and then shrugged her shoulders.

"Is it a negative or positive word?" he asked.

"Ah don't understand--."

"Let me rephrase: when you see this word do you think of it in a negative way or a positive way?"

"Negative," she replied, brushing her gloved hand through her short hair.

"Why?"

"Because," she said and then sighed, scooting back into the chair. "If you're dependent than you're always leaning on someone else. When the time comes you won't be able to handle things on your own."

"From that definition I guess that your feelings and the word "independent" are the exact opposite. Am I right?"

She nodded affirmatively.

"Rogue, I am going to give you my insight on these two words and then I'm going to cut this session short, but I want you to think about what I'm about to tell you." He paused; balled up the piece of paper he had written on and tossed it in a nearby garbage can. He put the pen in a drawer in his desk and then folded his hands and placed them on top of the desk. "When I think of the word 'dependence' I think of it in a negative light, like you. However, when I think of 'independence' I also think of it in a negative light. Both these attitudes and conditions, when taken to their extremes, have negative results. You already explained the dangerous effects of total dependence. Total independence is also damaging because it results in complete isolation and refusal to ask for or accept help when it is really needed.

"What I try to instill in the X-Men is the idea of dependence on one another but still having the _ability_ to be independent when it's necessary. A team, clan, family, or any structure of the kind is built on dependence. I'll leave you with the words of Jane O'Reilly who said, 'Maybe the greatest challenge now is to find a way to keep independence while also committing ourselves to the ties that bind people, families, and ultimately societies together.' I want you to figure out the solution to this challenge, Rogue. When you do things will begin to change; your feelings about your stepmother, your stepbrother, and your place here as apart of the team and, most importantly, our family."

-=-=-=- _That afternoon…_-=-=-=-

Jean rushed pass Rogue, putting a tight French braid in her hair as she made her way towards the exit of the girl's locker room. "Hurry, Rogue. You know how Logan gets when we're late to his training sessions." Rogue frowned, but this was the story of her life. No one noticed the tears on her face or the melancholy in her eyes. Who cared enough to take a rag and wipe the dark make up from her eyes when they were matting away her tears to see the frightened and abused teenager who was hiding?

"Rogue…" came a worried, hesitant voice. "Are you crying?" She concealed her face from Kitty's voice. "Are you okay? We can talk… you know, like, if you want. I'll take the brunt of Logan's punishment if you need to talk--."

Rogue cut her off before she continued to offer consolation, "Ah'm alright. Ah'll see you in the Danger Room."

"I'll wait for you," Kitty said, sitting down on a bench that went down the middle of the two rows of lockers. Rogue frowned and wiped her eyes before putting her boots in her spacious locker and closing it.

"What's today's task?" Rogue asked Kitty, trying to seem as normal as possible.

"We're supposed to be doing one-on-one combats today," Kitty frowned. "Hopefully Ororo is going to be there because Logan would let us kill each other."

"Who are you up against today?"

"I think I'm fighting Jean," she said and then stopped walking. "No, that was last week. This week I'm sparring against Kurt. I think you're going up against Jean."

Rogue frowned. Mental premonitions told her this wasn't the best idea -- especially not now.


	3. Jean Grey

**Title: **Matters of the Heart

**Author: **Viral

**Author's Notes:** Thanks for the reviews. I hope this chapter is as enjoyable as the others.

-=-=-

Storm walked around the tree trunks of the sycamore trees that seemed to touch the clouds in the sky. Her ears were sensitive to the sounds of birds chirping, insects moving, and raccoons leaping. When leaves rustled her blue eyes quickly looked in that direction, but she didn't see her target. She felt the subtle changes in the wind, caused by a large moving object, but any large animal could cause them. No longer feeling secure, she snapped her fingers one time and instantly the forest floor became covered in fog. She began to hover in the air, taking the heels of her white feet out of the pine-covered ground. "Where are you?" she whispered.

The slight changes in the wind became more obvious and more frequent from one area. She turned around, her eyes now completely white and devoid of any visible iris or pupil, but he had already found the perfect position. He lunged out of a tree, his sharp fangs showing from the sides of his mouth. He pounced on her body, causing her to fall onto the ground with him on top. He looked down at her and held one hand firmly on her shoulder to keep her from moving. He retracted the other arm and extended his claws, but she showed no fear.

With a blink from her eyes a gust of wind blew his body into the air and against a firm tree. When she finally recovered from the shock of being pounced on, she stood up and noticed he had once again become absconded in the trees. Annoyance became present on her face. "I am not playing this hide-and-seek game any longer, Wolverine," she yelled, her alto-pitched voice showing no signs of weakness or fear. A whirlwind began to form around her body, completely clearing the ground of pinecones. The whirlwind quickly began to expand in circumference, knocking down trees, tossing small animals into the air, wreaking havoc to the entire environment.

When she finally calmed the forest floor was covered in splintered wood and animals cowering and looking for shelter. Storm caught sight of Wolverine's orange and black costume and hovered towards his fallen body, the sky turning extremely dark while she flew. He growled and tried to get up, but failed. Storm's glove hand went out towards him and a lightning bolt began to fall out of the sky, electricity jumping across excited electrons and making its way towards Wolverine's fallen body.

Storm closed her hand and the lightning bolt dissipated as well as the deforested landscape and the sky.

"Did you have to be so rough?" Wolverine growled. "It's supposed to be a demonstration, Ro."

"You will heal," Storm smiled. "If I did decide to be rough, you would not heal."

"We want realistic spars from you all today," Wolverine explained. The group of students who were apart of the training session were up in the viewing port. Wolverine and Storm were in the Danger Room, speaking to them through microphones that were attached to their uniforms. The vast, square-shaped room was made completely of a reflective, metal material. The technology that the X-Men had surmounted from the ancient ruins in Egypt had allowed them to make the Danger Room into more than a gymnasium. Now they had the capabilities to create realistic projections: buildings that you would be able to climb, facsimiles of enemies fought before who could actually deliver painful blows, and environments that seemed boundless as if they were really there.

"Most of the time we match you according to your abilities," Storm began. "For example, we would often match Iceman and Magma to fight because their abilities are opposites and it creates an even battle. However, there are times when you will be fighting someone who is much stronger or much weaker than you are. For these battles, you must be prepared."

"You gotta fight like your life depends on it," Wolverine started, but Storm cut him off.

"Although you can do that without drawing blood," she said, looking towards Wolverine who was finally standing up. "As you noticed Wolverine was at a disadvantage because he lacks long-range attacks. He had to try to use the environment to his benefit."

"Some of you will be asked to spar with your powers, because you need to learn how to use them effectively," Wolverine said. "The others will have to spar without. You need to learn how _not_ to use your powers unless it's necessary."

"Multiple and Berzerker, come down," Storm said as she and Wolverine made their way out of the Danger Room and into the viewing port with the remaining students.

Rogue's eyes wandered over to the automatic doors that opened before Storm and Wolverine stepped in. She watched as the white-haired weather witch moved to the front-center of the viewing port and began giving Berzerker and Multiple their instructions.

"Logan," Rogue called haggardly, putting a loose strand of auburn hair behind her ear in a tired fashion. "Ah don't think Ah can do this today," she said in a whispered tone after Wolverine walked over to her.

"What's the problem?" he asked, taking his mask off of his face and wiping sweat from his forehead.

"This just ain't gonna work out in nobody's favor," she sighed and noticed Kitty nosily looking into her face from the other side of the port. She turned her face towards Logan, making sure no one would be able to read her lips. "Ah have a bad feeling that if you put me up against Jean--."

Wolverine cut her off, "Look Rogue, you and Jean are not gonna be fightin with powers. It should be a fair fight. Don't worry about it."

"But that's not what --," Rogue tried to explain, but she squirmed when she heard Jean's shrill soprano voice come across the room, calling Logan over to her.

"You'll be fine Rogue," he said, patted her on the shoulder, and then walked over to Jean.

As Logan walked away Scott came over to Rogue, his eyebrows pointing downward – showing concern. "Are you okay?" he asked. Rogue put her head against the wall she was leaning on and slowing began to slide down until she was sitting on the floor. Scott sat down beside her. "Rogue?"

"Ah don't know," she said. "Ah mean, Ah guess Ah'm okay."

"Is there anything you want to talk about?" he asked, placing his gloved hand on her knee. She looked over to him and sighed.

"Have you ever wondered why _you_ were made the way you are and not somebody else?" she asked.

"All the time," he began. "I wonder why I had to end up losing my parents instead of somebody else. I see kids all the time taking their parents for granted and I get upset and want them to live just one day in my shoes." He took his leg off of her knee and put his arm around her shoulder. She looked away from him, feeling a bit uncomfortable being touched by someone else but welcoming the sentiment. "And like you, I wonder why I had to be the ones to get my powers. Of all the possible things in the world, I shoot beams out of my eyes and worst of all, I can't control it. I mean, when I look at Logan's healing ability, Magneto's ability to control metal, Storm's weather manipulating, and the Professor… I just get upset sometimes, knowing that I'll never be able to see anything without a red shade over it."

Rogue sighed, ready to tell him how much she felt his pain; how she wished she could touch another person just as much as he wished he could see without a red tint; how she cried just as long as he did when she had to think about her parents, but before she could utter a word she saw a slender hand reach down to Scott.

"I need to talk to you," Jean said, a worried look on her face, her other hand playing with the French braid that rested on her shoulder.

"Excuse me for a second, Rogue?" he asked, but was standing up before she even nodded. As Jean led Scott outside of the viewing port for a private conversation Rogue watched the imperious way she walked and her salacious way of touching Scott to keep his attention on her. What Rogue felt at that very moment: absolute contempt.

She sighed, knowing that if her life were somehow the central plot of a movie, a sad rhythm and blues song would come on, playing smooth beats that were a perfect audible expression of her downcast countenance. Then the screen would fade into darkness and the music would grow faint. Afterwards the next scene of the movie would brightly appear on the screen and somehow everything would work out. But Rogue's life wasn't a movie. There was no background music. There was no way to dismiss the rest of the day – she would just have to live through it. And there was no promise that the ending to her story would be happy.

-=-=-

Rogue was uncontrollably livid while Logan explained the rules. Her emerald green eyes were blazing red as a result of un-cried tears. Her fists were in tight balls, her muscles were tense, and her mind had one thing on it: _take Jean down_! The only words Rogue heard were "No powers," before she saw Jean moving in her familiar fighting stance.

Immediately Rogue went into an defensive karate stance, one she had learned from Mystique's memories out of the many times she had touched the blue mutant. She rushed at Jean, not willing to stand around and walk in circles all day. About a foot away from where Jean was standing, Rogue leaped into the air and kicked out her right leg. Exhibiting torque from the initial turn she started just before she jumped, Rogue's body spun about one hundred seventy degrees before her heavy boot collided with Jean's rib. The red head gasped for air as she stumbled to the floor; she hadn't been expecting Rogue to attack so soon and she hadn't been expecting Rogue to take the training to seriously and hit her with such impact.

It didn't take Jean long to realize that Rogue was in killer mode. Quickly rolling up off the floor, Jean thought to herself, _time to knock her down a few pegs, as usual_. Rogue came rushing towards Jean, this time obviously attempting an attack with her elbow. When Rogue was close enough, Jean stretched out her long arm and rammed the lower palm of her hand into Rogue's nose. The nerve-wrecking pain of feeling her the cartilage in her nose falter caused her to stop thinking for a second, but anger didn't allow her to worry about her nose. Rogue quickly forced her right fist towards Jean's face, but Jean grabbed her wrist. Rogue tried kicking her in the shin with her left leg, but Jean grabbed it before it even reached her. The next thing Rogue knew was that she was on the floor with Jean's knee on her chest.

"Good job, Jean," Logan said on the microphone. "Rogue, think before you act. Your opponent has longer arms and legs than you do so she has a greater reach. You have to find a way to negate that obstacle." Rogue frowned and stood up quickly as Jean stood up and backed away. "We're going to change the scenery. Start the spar whenever you're ready."

As Logan chose the environment for the next phase of Jean and Rogue's training, a bayou-type environment began to appear simultaneously in the Danger Room. Decent sized trees allowed no real clearing in the landscapes except for a marshy river that ran down the middle of the tropical swamp. Fog was a blanket on the ground and dark clouds were the shades for the night sky. Lightning bugs blinked on and off and hidden bullfrogs croaked. Somewhere within the dense atmosphere Rogue was sitting in a tree, waiting for Jean to walk her way.

Rogue began to replay the things that had happened in the viewing port and the words she had hear: _"She's a whore for attention. Is the whole world supposed to sit and mourn over the sad Rogue? Scott, I mean, everybody knows_ _she had a sad past, but she needs to get over it." _Scott had tried to say something, but Jean just kept prattling on._ "Kurt went through worst things than she did. I am not going to force myself to sit here and be nice to her anymore. If she wants to sulk for the rest of her life, let her do it. Logan told me that I'm supposed to spar against her today but we're not supposed to use powers. All I have to say is she better be glad for the "no powers" rule. It's time that she be put back in her place." _Rogue frowned, removing the bulky gloves she had become accustomed to from her slender hand.

"Oh Scott, Ah broke a nail. Come to my hospital bed until Ah feel better," Rogue mocked Jean, out loud. She stealthily moved from one tree to another. They were so close that it was easy to act like Tarzan and leap without feeling worried about falling. Rogue caught sight of a shadow moving slowly near the edge of the water. When she was absolutely sure it was Jean she jumped out of the tree, naked hands aimed for Jean's face.

The redhead gasped as she noticed Rogue's body coming towards her. She tried to duck and dodge, but slipped on the muddy bank of the river. Rogue fell on top of her. Jean grabbed Rogue's forearm and struggled to keep it away from her face. Her original worry was that Rogue was seeking to punch her there, but when she noticed outstretched fingers and the lack of bulk around those fingers she realized Rogue was attempting to absorb her abilities. Her green eyes widened as her thoughts changed from shock, to fear, to anger, and finally to disgust.

Jean motioned her head towards her right and Rogue's body flew in that direction, banging the southern shadow into the bark of thick tree. Jean pointed her hand towards Rogue and then made a motion so that Rogue flew into the river. Another flick of the wrist and Rogue was up against another tree. By now her uniform was torn in the back, her hair was splattered with mud, and absolute contempt was living in her eyes and heart. When Rogue felt Jean's telekinetic grasp let go of her she got up and yelled with her raspy voice and charged towards her enemy. However, she was stopped in her tracks and the next thing she knew her back was against another tree.

Then the smell of brimstone began to permeate the area and a lightning bolt landed in front of Jean's body. Kitty had phased Ororo through the floor of the viewing port and Kurt had transported Logan down onto the floor. "Jean, get out of the Danger Room, _now_!" Ororo commanded, fury and disappointment etched in her actions.

Jean stubbornly stood there, daring Ororo to _make_ her leave. The white-haired teacher landed on the ground, so close to Jean's face that the breath coming from her mouth was creating condensation on Jean's face. "You may be right in this situation, but I gave you an order," Ororo said. "And could not care less how strong you think you are, but you do not want to challenge me!" Ororo's frowning face turned to an annoyed smile, showing she was trying her best to conceal her rage. "Now, _get out_!" Jean turned around and walked towards the huge doors that were considered the entrance and exit to the room.

_-=-=-=- Later that night… -=-=-=-_

"Ah heard everything you said to Scott outside the viewing port!" Rogue screamed at Jean. The huge ace bandage that was tied around her torso and back were visible through Rogue's white t-shirt. The foyer of the mansion was housing all the students and staff of the Institute. After the events in the Danger Room, Professor Xavier believed that a public intervention was necessary. He encouraged Jean and Rogue to say anything and everything they ever wanted to say to each other, but admonished that the other students to just be quiet.

"So not only are you utterly obsessed with being the center of attention, negative or positive doesn't really matter to you, but you're also nosey. You weren't invited into my conversation with Scott, at all!" Jean screamed back.

"You are so…" Rogue stopped herself from using profanity in front of the adults, "…Hypocritical! How can you accuse me of wanting to be the center of attention when it's your only goal in life?"

"See, you've got it all wrong. I'm at the center _your_ attention. What in the world could I possibly have that you want so much?"

"Professor!" Rogue shouted. "This ain't working. Ah'm through for tonight," she said, getting out of her seat. Jean had touched a very delicate subject; one that Rogue even considered was on-point. _Scott_.

_-=-=-=- Later… -=-=-=-_

"Jean, you seemed very out of character today," the Professor said, drinking a mug of Sleepytime tea. "What is happening?"

"I'm not out of character, Professor," Jean explained. "I've felt this way about Rogue for a long time. You know, sometimes you can try your hardest to make people like you or do good things for the people who don't like you… and after it doesn't work for as long as Rogue's been living here, you can't take it anymore. Whenever she's around me her angry thoughts force their way inside my head! How do you expect me to deal with it?"

"Deal with it like a responsible woman," the Professor said, almost annoyed.

"I've been doing that the entire time!" Jean yelled and then softened her tone. "And I'm sick of playing nice with her. Rogue hates me and I hate her back."

**Author's Notes: **I know some of you were rooting for Rogue… but I am unbiased when it comes down to Ms. Grey and our southern Goth. Even if you did want Rogue to wig-out on Jean, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. There's a lot I wanted to say, and I hope I got some type of message across in this chapter.


End file.
